Writing errors on paper are conventionally corrected by covering the error with liquid correction agent containing a covering white pigment using an application means such as a brush, sponge, or brush flocked with a fuzzy covering. The liquid correction agent and application means are usually offered as a packaged unit. The liquid correction agent, however, typically forms a drop on the underside of the application means. Consequently, this drop of liquid correction agent is uncontrollably transferred to the paper and forms ugly "correction bumps" that are slow drying and difficult to overwrite. To overcome this problem, excess liquid correction agent is usually wiped away from the application means at the edge of a container opening. The wiped away liquid correction agent, however, quickly hardens at the edge of the container such that when the application means is subsequently wiped off, lumps of pigment or thickened liquid correction agent are transferred to the application means. The lumps of pigment or thickened liquid correction agent cause the liquid correction agent to be non-uniformly applied to the paper.
Prior liquid correction agents usually contain environmentally hazardous solvents and suspension agents. Solid components in liquid correction agents, however, tend to precipitate out of solution, which concomitantly shortens the shelf life of conventional liquid correction agents. Further, conventionally used solvents often dissolve ink or toner dyes in the area to be corrected either causing the dyes to color or smear the correction agent. As a result, clean covering of writing errors is virtually impossible. In addition, so-called reactive papers, such as NCR and thermosensitive papers, have an oily dye-developing layer that can be activated by solvents found in conventional liquid correction agents.
One replacement for liquid correction agents is a correction stick made of a solid correction material containing a covering pigment that is rubbed off on the correction area. Problems with prior correction sticks include poor adhesion to paper (JPLO 51-106523; JP 89-298704) or non-uniform application. JP 63-199777 discloses a correction material composed mainly of a white pigment, a waxy carrier, and a binder made of an ethylene-vinyl acetate-copolymer that rubs off and adheres to the paper. The disclosed correction material, however, ages quickly and after a short time, cannot be uniformly applied because ink flow or abrasion is adversely affected. As a result, the surface of the applied correction material is non-uniform and difficult to overwrite.